1. W&L’s Jack Evans ’25 Named a Grand Strategy Fellow by the Hertog Foundation

W&L's Jack Evans '25 Named a Grand Strategy Fellow by the Hertog Foundation Evans will spend four weeks in an intensive learning experience focused on the most pressing national security challenges facing the U.S.

By Emily Innes
April 23, 2025

Washington and Lee University senior Jack Evans '25 has been named a Grand Strategy Fellow by the Hertog Foundation's Security Studies Program. At W&L, Evans is double majoring in global politics and East European and Russian studies. Evans is a native of Ashland, Kentucky, and graduated from Russell High School.

The Hertog Foundation's Security Studies Program offers an intensive learning experience focused on the most pressing national security challenges facing the United States today. Grand Strategy Fellows participate in a four-week summer program where they take courses and engage in simulations and case studies that reflect real-world decision-making. Evans will be placed in Washington, D.C., for his fellowship and will study military history and geopolitics, generalship, U.S.-Russia relations and U.S.-China strategy.

"I am incredibly honored to be awarded this opportunity," Evans said. "As someone whose time at Washington and Lee has been shaped by a deep interest in national security, it means a lot to have the chance to keep learning and growing in this field. This program feels like the next step in a path I've been carving since I came to W&L, and I'm excited to engage with real-world challenges and deepen my understanding alongside others who care about these issues."

Evans previously studied in Poland in 2023 through the Gilman Scholarship, and in 2024, he was awarded a Boren Scholarship to study Russian in Kyrgyzstan. The Boren Scholarship helped jumpstart Evans' federal service career because of the scholarship's requirement to work for the federal government for one year after graduation, and the Grand Strategy Fellowship is an important next step toward his pursuing a career in national security. The Hertog Foundation's focus on strategic thinking and real-world decision-making will also help prepare Evans for a range of paths within the defense and security field, including research, policy analysis or consulting.

Evans is grateful for the immersive learning experiences he has had at W&L and the way they have prepared him to pursue opportunities like the Grand Strategy Fellowship. Evans also appreciates the support and mentorship of the W&L faculty members who have encouraged him along his academic and professional path, including Krzysztof Jasiewicz, the William P. Ames Jr. Professor of Sociology Emeritus, who encouraged Evans' "niche" academic interests and offered thoughtful guidance for navigating W&L; Richard Bidlack, Martin and Brooke Stein Professor of History Emeritus, who deepened Evans' understanding of the post-Soviet space and inspired his desire to pursue a career focused on Russia and Eastern Europe; and Seth Cantey, associate professor of politics, who has been instrumental in shaping Evans' interest in national security. In addition, Evans is grateful for the guidance of W&L's Office of Fellowships in securing critical scholarships that allowed him to study abroad and pursue his career goals.

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